Bassani Firepower Series Slip-On Comparison Review

Southern California exhaust manufacturer, Bassani, has been building performance exhausts for the cruiser and custom motorcycle aftermarkets since 1969. And it certainly shows considering the first-rate quality and performance of its Bassani 3″ Firepower Series Straight-Cut Slip-On Mufflers ($349.95).

Compared to the fancy looking Akros, the Bassani pipes feature a more traditional design consisting of a cylindrical chrome shape that terminates into a three ring end cap resembling the muzzle of a gun. Besides that there is really nothing extravagant about the appearance but that’s a good thing as the set-up offers a clean look, especially against the blacked out hardware on the motorcycle. This equated to a top score in the “Appearance” category.

Each pipe is a one-piece design and slides on to the header with no other parts. It also doesn’t make use of the stock cross-over tube and the baffle is open—a recipe for added power and noise. Installation was a simple 10-minute affair, however, the mufflers didn’t slide on as easily as the Screamin’ Eagle or BUB set-ups. Due to its more simplistic design the Bassani’s were the second lightest (10 pounds 4 ounces) just behind the BUB pipes.

Our Harley-Davidson Forty Eight achieved almost a 20% increase in horsepower over stock with the Bassani mufflers.

Fire up the engine and the pipes emitted the loudest decibel reading as recorded during the stationary sound test. Although it only registered one decibel point higher than the stockers (87 dB), in reality the difference sounded tenfold. Rev the motor up to 2950 rpm (half of redline) and it belted out a 108 dB reading which tied the BUB factory for title of loudest pipes. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on preference, but for our tastes the Bassani’s draw to much attention for use in the city.

Results from dyno testing reveal the Bassani pipes are the Horsepower and Torque King, pumping out nearly 69 hp —in excess of 11 up on stock and 1.14 up on the next most powerful set (BUB). We also saw a colossal 7.77 lb-ft boost in torque over stock (72.33 lb-ft). Out on the road the difference compared to stock is night and day. The engine feels snappier and the powerband is stronger throughout its 5900 rpm range.

Top scores in four categories, not to mention its reasonable price tag (second least expensive) help propel the Bassani Firepower Series exhaust system atop the scoresheet giving it the shootout win. Although the “Character / Exhaust Note” was too obnoxious for our liking you can’t deny its performance potential performance gains and ease of installation.

“These pipes are LOUD! They emit a more traditional and classic V-Twin sound with a lot of bass. Throttle response felt a little snappier than stock but not as precise as the Akrapovic pipes. Fueling was spot-on perfect with no back firing during deceleration. The pipes went on very easily – 10 minute installation and the fit-and-finish is the highest of the group. These are great pipes and give the bike better acceleration but are too loud for my preference.”